FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 3, 2005

CONTACT: Lisa Lacher, (515) 271-3119, lisa.lacher@drake.edu

McMAHILL NAMED DEAN OF DRAKE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

Janet McMahill, interim dean of the Drake University School of Education and director of extension education, has been named dean of the School of Education, effective immediately.

In announcing the appointment, Drake Provost Ron Troyer said, "Jan McMahill earned the respect and admiration of students, faculty and staff members with her work as interim dean. She has valuable experience at Drake University and knowledge of education in the state of Iowa. In addition, she has been an exceptional leader in distance and extension education. I am confident that she will be instrumental in helping the University achieve its goals."

McMahill holds a bachelor's degree and a master's degree from Drake and a Ph.D. in industrial education from Iowa State University. She began her education career as an English teacher in the Des Moines Public Schools. She then served as director of special projects at Iowa Central Community College and director of language arts for Fort Dodge Community Schools.

In 1989 she joined Drake as associate dean of the School of Education and director of Extension Education — the school's distance learning division, which serves more than 10,000 students a year across the United States and Canada. She became interim dean of the School of Education last June.

McMahill has been nationally recognized for her achievements in distance learning. She is the founder of the Iowa Distance Learning Association and former president and board chair of the United States Distance Learning Association, which honored her with its distinguished service award in 1998.

Now in her fourth term on the USDLA Board of Directors, McMahill recently was selected by the board as one of six educators to finalize a set of requirements for the accreditation of distance learning programs. She was inducted into the International Hall of Fame by the International Distance Learning Association at its 1998 Teleconferencing Convention.

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